Escalator
An Escalator is a moving staircase that moves people between different floors of a building. They are powered by motors. The steps run on tracks. There is also an emergency stop button, which stops the escalator, and a key switch, that restarts the escalator, in the up or down direction. History Nathan Ames patented an escalator in 1859, that would either by water powered, or hand-crank powered. However, a working model was not built. The picture shows the patent for this type of escalator. Leamon Souder got at least 4 patents for escalators, 2 for spiral escalators in 1889, but working models were not built. Jesse W. Reno patented the cleat-type escalator in 1892. George A. Wheeler patented the step-type escalator in 1892. He never built a step-type escalator, but the patents were sold to Charles Seeberger. Jesse W. Reno installed the world's first escalator in 1896, at the Coney Island Old Island Pier in New York, NY. Jesse W. Reno tried his escalator out again, by installing it at the Brooklyn Bridge in New York, NY. He removed the escalator a month later, after he was done testing it there. Jesse W. Reno joined Otis Elevator Co, then retired later, after selling the patents to Otis Elevator Co. Charles Seeberger started drawing an escalator model in 1895. This escalator model was different from modern escalators, as the escalator becomes flat at the end, where you get off sideways, and then there is most likely an angled combplate, though it is not safe to stay on the escalator at the end. Piat made another type of escalator, consisting of a leather belt, in many pieces, attached together. A working model was installed at Harrods, London, United Kingdom, in 1898. In 1899, Charles Seeberger joined Otis. In 1900, the first commercially-sold escalator, and first step-type escalator was installed by Otis at the Paris 1900 Exposition Universelle, in Paris, France. The escalator won first prize. Other types of escalators were also on display. Hallé made a different type of escalator. George A. Wheeler made plans for another type of spiral escalator in 1905. Jesse W. Reno installed a spiral cleat-type? escalator in 1906. However, it was never opened to the public. Hocquardt got a patent for a different type of escalator in 1906. Hocquardt later went out of business. Charles Seeberger invented at least 2 more types of spiral escalators between 1906-1911, but models were never built. Escalators were marketed under different names by other companies, as the name Escalator was trademarked by Otis, such as Peelle Motorstair, Westinghouse Electric Stairway, and Haughton Moving Stairs. Gilbert Luna patented another type of spiral escalator in 1973, but a model was never built. A company to manufacture this product was most likely not found. Mitsubishi installed the first modern spiral escalator in 1985. Helixator, another type of spiral escalator, is more compact. A full size model does not exist, but there is a working scale model. Nowadays, Schindler sells more escalators than any other company, and Otis does not sell as many escalators anymore. Types of escalators The step type escalator is the common type of escalator today. The steps are usually metal, but very old step type escalators had wooden steps. Step type escalators can also go up/down, flat, then up/down again. The belt type escalator was made by Piat. You stand on a flat? belt. This type of escalator probably doesn't exist anywhere, anymore. The cleat type escalator had cleated metal, later wood treads, that are slanted. Some types of cleat type escalator look more like a belt, not an escalator (the belt type escalator?). This type of escalator is not known to exist anywhere, anymore. There is also the spiral escalator, which uses curved steps, only manufactured by Mitsubishi. The Levytator is a new type of escalator, the freeform escalator, that can curve multiple times, in either direction. There are 2 escalators, which share a continuous loop of steps. The 2 escalators can curve differently. A working prototype has been built, but currently the inventor is looking for a company to mass-produce, and sell the new type of escalator. The steps are uniquely-shaped. O&K Escalators 2.jpg|Step-type escalators. Cleat-type escalators.png|Cleat type escalators. External Links *Wooden step-type escalators in action *Metal step-type escalators in action *Spiral escalators in action *The Levytator in action